The Flat-Pack Armoire.

Don't you just detest bloody flat pack furniture. Mind you, these Chinese chappies are very clever when it comes to squeezing as much as possible into cardboard cartons. There it all is, surrounded by bits of polystyrene, hardboard, and a strange fleecy plastic wrapping material. These cartons also contain the now mythical instruction details (above); complete with an estimated time for assembly. Mine said 2 hours; it actually took all day.

Here's the small armoire that I foolishly ordered several months ago through the French catalogue 'La Redoute'. It arrived in two scary cardboard cartons; I could tell at once that it was going to cause trouble.

So, what did we end up with.... An armoire that is much smaller than it's catalogue picture suggested. I'd wanted to buy an antique walnut armoire, but they are SO EXPENSIVE. Anyway, this will do for the moment; it's only to be used for storage, I'll probably replace it later, it can always be used somewhere else.

20th Century Nightmare.

One 20th Century invention, above all others, must be worthy of the title 'Most Infuriatingly Annoying Ever'.

I had recently wanted to buy a nice old repro' Louis XV bed that would have been perfect for our summer guests, but common sense dictated that I bought one of those modern beds with 6 commodious drawers underneath instead. I know, I know... But guests WILL arrive with all sorts of stuff they don't need.

Anyway, I selected the least offensive one from La Redoute, and a couple of days ago it arrived in two decidedly nasty looking long cardboard cartons

On the 'instructions' it stated with unequivocal Chinese authority and humour, that it would take two people, with one screwdriver, 90 minutes to assemble. Well, that didn't fool either of us!

I began at 7.30 am and by lunch I'd put together the six large drawers; 3hrs 30mins. And by 5.00 pm (after much swearing and threatening) the job was complete; another 3hrs.... 6hrs 30mins in all, in sweltering heat.

In my folly, at the same time as ordering the bed, I also ordered a matching armoire, and two bedside tables. I know, I know... They're arriving next week; I can hardly wait!